Seed cleaning machine



v NOV. 30, 1937. A FREVERT 2,100,738

SEED CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

Nov. 30, 1937. A, v -r 2,100,738

SEED CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

BY %5 %/z/? 541M017.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES SEED CLEANING MACHINE Albert A.Frevert, Alma, Mich.

Application November 5, 19 4, 'seria no. 751,517 4 Glaims. (c1. 2o9 a)The prime object of the invention is to provide a seed cleaning machinefor separating dirt, stones, foreign matter, and imperfect seed from theper fect seed.

One of the salient objects of the invention is to provide a seedcleaning machine having scalping and grading screens, with an air fluedirectly adjacent the end of the grading screen, and provide an air sealbetween the end of said grading screen and air flue.

Another object is to design a rugged, substantial, and economicalmachine, which is eiiicient in operation, and which is easy to adjustand operate.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description made in connection with the accompanying drawings,wherein like characters refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and in which Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved seedcleaning machine, parts being broken away to show the interiorconstruction.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the front end of the machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged part sectional detail of the air seal at the endof the grading screen.

The present invention is directed specifically to the air seal, and Ishall not attempt to describe the various parts of the machine indetail, excepting to show the course of the product, and the means forcreating the suction in the air flue. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the machine propercomprises a pair of side frames 5 and 6 respectively which are adaptedto support the various parts of the machine, and at the onset I wish itunderstood that while the machine can be set to separate and cleanvarious kinds of seeds and grains, in the present illustration it is setup for cleaning and grading beans. The beans to be cleaned are dumpedinto a hopper l, and a conventional gate 8 is provided for regulatingthe flow from the hopper, a conventional shoe 9 is hung in the frame inthe usual manner, and an inclined scalping screen H] is mounted therein,the beans flowing from the hopper onto the screen 10, the lumps of dirtand other tailings being discharged into the tailings hopper ll, thebeans passing through the screen H! and onto the inclined apron I2 whichis provided directly below and from which they are discharged onto thegrading screen l3, an endless apron l4 being provided below the screen,and the screenings discharge into a transversely disposed inclinedtrough [5 provided at the end of the screen.

A transversely disposed shaft I B is journaled in suitable bearings l'lprovided on the frame, and an exhaust fan 18 is mounted thereon, an airflue or passage lficommunicating therewith, said flue being slightlytapered, and the lower end thereof being disposed slightly below the endof the grading screen. v I r V An adj-ustable gate 2|] is mounted on thelower end of the flue and racks 2| are provided on the ends thereof,said racks meshing with spur gears 22 which are mounted on thetransversely dis posed shaft 23, the ends of the shaft being journaledin bar members 24 which are secured to the flue by means of screws 25,and a hand wheel 26 is provided to facilitate the operation of the gate.

A shaft 21 is journaled in the opposite ends of the bar members 24, anda resilient sleeve 28 is mounted thereon, said sleeve being formed ofrubber to permit the passage of the product without admitting air, thisassembly of the shaft and sleeve being the same as used on pickingmachines in general use.

An extension apron 29 is hingedly secured to the end of the gradingscreen, and spring members 30 are mounted therebeneath and normally urgethe apron upwardly, so that the face is level with the screen, and asthe beans flowfrom the screen onto the apron, the shaft 21 will berotated by means of the pulley 3|, said pulley being geared to a similarpulley 32 by means of the belt 33, so that as the beans are dischargedfrom the end of the apron, no air can be drawn from over the beans onthe grading screen, the rubber sleeve forming a tight and effectiveseal, and cooperating with the guard member 34 which is mounted on theflue, and should any foreign matter become wedged between the sleeveandthe apron, the springs 30 will permit it to swing downwardly, and asclearly shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In operation, the rotation of the fan naturally creates a suction in theflue l9, the air currents in theflue draw the beans upwardly, the airpassing through the stream and carrying any remaining foreign matter,cracked or heavier product up and into the cross conveyor 35, whichdischarges at the opposite side of the machine into a bin or otherreceptacle, the perfect product floats up and into the lower pressurearea of the flue, rising until the weight of the beans is not sustainedby the pressure, when they fall, and aided by gravity, drop into asuitable bin or receptacle (not shown), provided to receive them, theposition of the gate, of course, controls the aspirating of the beans inthe flue and is regulated to suit the product being cleaned.

The machine can be driven from any suitable source of power, and apulley 36 is provided on the end of the fan shaft to facilitate theconnection.

No vibrating means is shown for vibrating the shoe, but this can be donein the conventional manner, and it is not deemed necessary to describethis or the machine in detail as this invention is broadly directed tothe air seal.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfecteda very simple, practical, and economical seed cleaning machine.

What I claim is:

1. In a seed cleaning machine, the combination with a flat screen, of anonperforated hinged section forming an extension of said screen, an airflue adjacent the end' of the screen and provided with an openingcommunicating with said nonperforated section, a resilient rolljournaled on said machine and positioned in said opening to form an airseal between the screen and the flue without interrupting the flow ofthe product to the flue, and resilient means urging said hinged sectionagainst said roll.

2. In a seed cleaning machine, the combination with a screen having anonperforated section hingedly secured to the discharge end thereof, anair flue adjacent the end of the hinged section and forming a wall atthe end of the nonperforated section, and opening in said wall, aresilient roll mounted on said hinged section and forming a closure forsaid opening and an air seal between the screen and the flue withoutinterrupting the flow of the product being screened, and resilient meansurging said nonperforated section against said roll.

3. In a seed cleaning machine, the combination with a screen having anonperforated section hingedly secured to the discharge end thereof,resilient means for holding the free end of said section in its raisedposition, an air flue adjacent the discharge end and open thereto, and aresilient roller journaled on the machine and cooperating with thenonperforated section and the Wall of the air flue to form an air sealbetween the screen and the flue without interrupting the flow of theproduct being cleaned.

4. In a seed cleaning machine, the combination With a screen, of anonperforated section connected to and forming an extension thereof, anair flue adjacent the end of the screen and provided with an openingcommunicating with the screen, a resilient roll engaging saidnonperforated section and forming a closure for said opening and an airseal between the flue and the screen, and resilient means permitting avariation between the horizontal center line of the roll and the face ofthe nonperforate screen section.

ALBERT A. FREVERT.

